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New leader debuts for Raritan Valley Symphonic Band

Christopher G. Sumner of Greenwich Township recently assumed the position of conductor and musical director of the Raritan Valley Symphonic Band. Sumner, who also serves as co-director of instrumental music at Piscataway High School, is preparing the RVSB for a pops concert on June 1 with the theme "Let Freedom Ring: Celebrating America" at Bridgewater Raritan High School.

New leader debuts for Raritan Valley Symphonic Band

The end-of-the season concert by the Raritan Valley Symphonic Band on June 1 at Bridgewater-Raritan HS also signals a beginning for the group’s new conductor Christopher G. Sumner.

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Christopher G. Sumner of Greenwich Township is the conductor and musical director of the Raritan Valley Symphonic Band.
He is preparing the RVSB for a pops concert to be held on June 1st 2014 with the theme of "Let Freedom Ring: Celebrating America" Here he puts the group though a rehearsal held at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.
On Wednesday May 21,2014
Photo by Mark R. Sullivan
(Photo: Mark R. Sullivan/Staff Photographer, Mark R. Sullivan/Staff Photographer)Buy Photo

Traditionally, the annual June concert by the Raritan Valley Symphonic Band marks the end of the group’s season.

This year, however, the concert — “Let Freedom Ring: Celebrating America,” taking place June 1 at Bridgewater-Raritan High School in Bridgewater — also signals a beginning.

The program will be the 75-member band’s first performance under the baton of Christopher G. Sumner, the new conductor and musical director.

For all involved, the concert represents the start of a new era. Prior to Sumner’s arrival, the band has only had four conductors since its founding in 1983. His immediate predecessor, Lawrence Markiewicz, served from 2005 to 2013.

For his part, Sumner has worn numerous hats in his musical career. For 14 years, he has been co-director (with Edward Gornick) of instrumental music at Piscataway High School.

Sumner is also a clarinetist with the Riverside Sinfonia. As a performer, his credits range from the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra to the East Coast leg of Linda Ronstadt’s 2004 tour.

“I’m always looking for new experiences,” said Sumner, who lives in Greenwich Township in Warren County with his wife, Julie, and their four sons. “I’m thrilled and excited to be taking over the band.”

Starting strong

Sumner has already put his stamp on the band with his program for the June performance.

“I wanted to do a patriotic concert,” he said.

The first half consists of what Sumner called “a musical journey across America.” Works include pieces by Leroy Anderson, a set of sailing songs, a train song and a George Gershwin medley to represent Broadway.

The second half includes “Liberty Fanfare” by John Williams and “Armed Forces Salute.” “American Elegy” is a moving work composed by Frank Ticheli in response to the shooting at Columbine High School.

“I wanted this part of the program to acknowledge and highlight the spirit of America,” Sumner said. “I find that I’ve become very patriotic and nostalgic as I reach middle age.”

Even after a handful of rehearsals, the members of the band have come to respect Sumner.

“He’s very precise in his conducting,” said trumpeter Harold Johnson of Bridgewater, who was one of the band’s original six members.

“He has a good musical feel,” said Johnson. “He’s going to make us work, which is good. But he’s doing it in an amiable fashion. He’s easygoing, but under that, he has high standards.”

Audre Morrison of Hillsborough, another trumpet player and another original member of the band, agreed: “(Sumner) is a well-organized, well-disciplined fellow. He’s a consummate musician.

Sumner said he appreciates how quickly the members of Raritan Valley Symphonic Band have accepted him.

“They’ve been awesome,” he said. “They’ve taken me in. They’re all very warm.”

The band is the latest stop in Sumner’s musical journey. A native of Louisville, Kentucky, he and his family moved to New Jersey in the 1970s.

Sumner attended Piscataway High School. As a freshman, he thought he would have a career in science —specifically, oceanography. However, by the time he graduated in 1983, he had decided that he would make music his life.

“I had a wonderful musical experience at Piscataway,” Sumner said.

He went on to receive his master’s degree from Mannes College in New York City and his doctorate in musical arts from Rutgers University.

In the course of his studies, one of his instructors was William Berz. By coincidence, Berz was the Raritan Valley Symphonic Band’s musical director and conductor from 2001 to 2005.

“Bill Berz is one of my conducting mentors, and he’s still an integral part of my musical life,” Sumner said. “I’m honored to take over a band that Dr. Berz had directed.”

Looking ahead

Sumner will continue to work at Piscataway High School, where he joined the faculty in 2000. He said that even in that relatively short span, he has seen changes in music education.

“An obvious change is the marching band phenomenon that has taken over high school programs,” he said. “The concert program can be affected by that, but it also can boost the program.

“There’s been a bit of a decline in music education, and that’s taken a toll. But in the trenches, we push on, and we still have great students.”

Sumner has similar praise for the members of the Raritan Valley Symphonic Band.

“It’s exciting, because there are a lot of strong musicians,” he said.

Though Sumner is concentrating on the June 1 program, he is already exploring ideas for the 2014-2015 season. Those possibilities include a guest choir for the winter holiday concert and a jazz theme for the spring concert.

The musicians are prepared to follow Sumner’s lead.

“I’m looking forward to the variety of music we’re going to play,” said Audre Morrison. “It’s scheduling music for a purpose.”

That attitude pleases Sumner.

“The strength of the RVSB is the commitment of the musicians to the organization,” he said. “These people are not being paid. They come out in all kinds of weather to rehearsals.

“There’s a wide range of musicianship. It’s exciting to throw them a piece of music and have them able to sight-read it and to bring out the passion in the music.

“That’s why we’re extremely lucky. We get to experience the passion of music from the inside. Most people don’t get to do that.”